Articles and Blogs

The FFY 2022 IPPS Proposed Rule (“Proposed Rule”) was released on April 27, 2021, and CMS published the associated tables on its website. In addition, the Proposed Rule is expected to be published in the Federal Register on May 10. The release of the Proposed Rule and the accompanying tables triggers the start of... READ MORE

On April 8, 2021, the Quality, Safety & Oversight Group at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a memorandum entitled “Updates to Long-Term Care (LTC) Emergency Regulatory Waivers Issued in Response to COVID-19” (“Blanket Waiver Update Memo”) that announced the termination of several blanket waivers for skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) related to resident... READ MORE

NATIONAL 7 reimbursement updates for ASCs, key insights 2 health systems pause J&J vaccinations after adverse patient reactions 4 health systems appointing inaugural diversity, equity leaders 5,800 COVID-19 infections detected among 77 million fully vaccinated people: CDC 5 supply chain updates for ASCs AHA head: Pandemic aid isn’t enriching most hospitals; they are struggling... READ MORE

As we previously explained here, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARP”) includes a provision for 100% subsidized COBRA continuation coverage for employees and family members who experience a loss of group health plan coverage due to the employee’s involuntary termination or reduced hours of employment (the “COBRA Subsidy”) during the period from... READ MORE

As COVID-19 cases stay relatively low and the number of vaccinated individuals continues to increase, health providers are faced with a new normal for operating medical office space in a safe and sanitary manner. In order to avoid potential liability from tenants, patients and other visitors, medical office landlords should update facility management plans... READ MORE

April 16, 2021 is National Healthcare Decisions Day. The goal of the day is to encourage Americans to think and talk about their health care goals and communicate their health care decisions by executing advance health care directives. Recent studies have found that most Americans have not executed documents that name a health care... READ MORE

The Ninth Circuit recently dismissed a relator’s False Claims Act (“FCA”) case for failing to satisfy its pleading requirements under Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, holding that the relator failed to state a plausible claim for relief because its allegations did not eliminate an obvious alternative. The Court found that... READ MORE

NATIONAL 35 billionaires in US healthcare 1 in 6 healthcare employees would rather quit than get vaccinated Accellion data breach strikes more than 2.7 million victims nationwide AHA wants HHS to issue waivers to 340B hospitals All 50 states now have expanded or will expand Covid vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and up CDC... READ MORE

With over three million people receiving a COVID-19 vaccine daily in the United States, the return to every day, pre-COVID life seems tantalizingly close. Yet, the economic effects of COVID-19 are unlikely to subside immediately. Health care real estate was and is not immune to the pandemic (although the industry’s “symptoms” are mild when... READ MORE

In a Report and Order released March 30, 2021, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) announced its plan to move forward with the second round of funding (“Round 2”) of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program (“Program”). As noted in our prior article, this announcement comes after Congress appropriated additional funding and directed the FCC to seek... READ MORE